1966 Shelby Cobra 427 news, pictures, specifications, and information

There are muscle cars, and then, there are muscled-up sports cars. The Cobra is considered the consummate 'muscle car'. But, in one move, Carroll Shelby effectively bridged the gap between muscle and sports cars and launched a whole new bread of machine.

During the 1960s, there were two approaches. In Europe, the cars were smaller and more-nimble. The premium was placed on acceleration and handling. In the United States, the cars were bigger and heavier, but quite powerful. The focus was on top-end performance in a straight line. While the muscle car was still the main interest in the United States, more and more people were being attracted to the smaller and lightweight European sports cars. During this time, grand prix racing, as well as, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, were quite popular, even with American audiences.

Carroll Shelby was a racing driver and was very familiar with what it took to have the best car. He had been devastated by the Corvettes during a race. Therefore, set off on a quest to create the best car; one that would completely demoralize its competition.

Shelby wanted a small car that was capable of housing a V-8 engine. Carroll had noticed the shapely lines of AC Cars' chassis and approached them about building a car for his purposes. They agreed. Then, Shelby went engine hunting. Initially, Shelby went to Chevrolet, but they turned him away for fear of competition with its Corvette. Shelby then went to Ford. At that time Ford was becoming interested in the European motor sport scene and understood what having a powerful, lightweight car could mean in competition. Therefore, Ford became very interested in the idea of a powerful, small and lightweight car, especially one that could defeat the Corvette.

Shelby's first 'snakes' were quite good in performance. However, the next couple of generations were no where near what Shelby had planned. Its second-generation machine was affectionately called, 'The Turd' by racing driver Ken Miles. This was because the car was virtually un-drivable due to the transverse leaf spring suspension the car had been designed to utilize.

Shelby had been promised Ford's aluminum-block 390 V-8. This met with some resistance. Therefore, Shelby would have to make due with the heavier 'side-oiler' 427. To be able to house the engine, AC Cars had to redesign their chassis with a wider wheelbase. Though frustrating at the time, this, and the inclusion of a new wishbone and coil spring suspension, proved to be just what was needed. The large engine, with the wider wheelbase, enabled the full potential of the Cobra to be unveiled. The Ford 520 bhp, 427 V-8 engine was purposed to push the square, heavy bricks of Nascar's day around at 170mph. When combined with the much smaller and lighter AC chassis, the power-to-weight ratio that resulted was truly lethal for the competition.

The car was light (500 pounds lighter than the Corvette), it was nimble because of its wider stance, but in addition to all of that, the car was incredibly quick.

In 1963, Cobra earned their first-ever race victory against a field made up of Corvettes, Jaguars, Porsches and Maseratis. Jack Sears and Peter Bolton reportedly hit about 186 mph in tests on England's M1 motorway before the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans race. The story surrounding this episode, and the many fatalities on the M1, led England to establish national speed limits its highways. According to Sports Car Graphic magazine in 1965, 'Ken Miles took one of the street 427 machines out and did zero to 100 to zero in 13.2 seconds.' Many of Europe's small sports cars had been able to do the same test in under 30 seconds. This was how brutally quick the Cobra was. It had truly bridged the small, lightweight sports cars of Europe with the incredible high-horsepower engines of the United States. This rare combination made the car coveted for competition purposes, but surprisingly, it proved to be unsuccessful for Ford with the general public. Ford and Shelby ceased importing the cars from England in 1967.

The 427 Cobra presented at the RM Auction in 2011 in Scottsdale, AZ was a genuine 427-powered street Cobra. The car had been prepared by Hall Fabrication & Racing, Inc. The car originated from AC Cars in early 1966 and was then purchased by a gentleman from Kokomo, Indiana later that year.

The car appeared at the First Annual Brown County Indiana SAAC meet in 1978. The car was then sent back to England in 1979 as it was purchased by a Martin A. Colvill. Later on, it was purchased and sent to Germany. In 1988, the car was purchased by the 1988 British Touring Car Champion, Frank Sytner. The car eventually returned to the United States some time later.

In 2003, the car ended up making contact with one of the guardrails at the Monterrey Historics. This led the car to go through a no-expense spared restoration, including a bare-metal refinish.

The Cobra comes with a well documented history, including the original invoice from AC to Shelby American, photographs of the body stamp in various locations, as well as receipts from the car's owners throughout its time in Europe.

The restoration the car underwent was quite extensive. It included the brakes, cooling, electrical, suspension, chrome, paintwork and many other parts and components. The car is finished in red, while its interior has been finished in black leather and dark grey.

The car sports the usual AC Cars body styling expected for the 427 Cobra. Two large, round headlights accent either side of the wide-mouth open grille. The hoodline, trailing back from the grille opening is reminiscent of the Maserati or Ferrari grand prix cars of the early 1950s. The extra-wide fenders cover the car's obviously wider wheel base. A small, single-piece windscreen is about the only thing protruding up out of the top of the car. Along the lower portion of the sides of the car run the hallmark, large-diameter exhaust pipes. The interior of the Cobra offered had a wood trimmed steering wheel, complete with the AC badge. The instruments are correct Smiths. Large, shapely rear fenders help conceal the wide rear tires.

The car has a large-capacity fuel tank. The 520 bhp, 427 V-8 engine sports four Weber carburetors and aluminum heads. Stopping power comes from four aluminum-caliper disc brakes. It has a Ford Top-loader four-speed manual transmission, an independent front suspension comprised of unequal-length upper and lower wishbones with coil springs and telescopic dampers and a similar rear suspension with additional lower trailing links. Headed to auction, this Shelby Cobra was estimated to fetch between $650-$750,000.

The Cobra offered this year is one of just a little over 300 street-specified Cobras ever built. Chassis CSX3259 is truly a special car. Its rarity comes from what it represents. And what it represents is the focus of uniting two points of view. It is that rare amalgamation of a small, lightweight and nimble sports car chassis that would be at home on the twisty road tracks of Europe and an incredibly powerful American muscle car meant to take the car between point A and B in the fastest possible time.

This is the 5th from the last Cobra produced. The serial number of the vehicle is CSX 3355. It is a very low mileage and very rare side oiler. The car has the original body and chassis with all original stampings. It does not have the typical modifications such as roll bar, hood scoop, or side pipes. An aluminum radiator, to cure the common overheating problems, has been added to make the car dramatically more practical and usable. The owner use and enjoyed the car for almost ten years. The mechanicals were rebuilt and have been maintained by Dave Dralle.

On November 18th of 1965 CSX-3181 was invoiced to Shelby America and shipped to Los Angeles. Work Order Number 18088 was opened in January of 1966 and finished in March. It was then sent to Archway Motors Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland for $6,398. In March of 1966 the Cobra 427 was sold to David Pyles of Marlow Heights, Maryland. After two-hundred miles of driving, it was returned as it was in need of major engine repairs. The crankshaft and bearings had been scored and the engine required a rebuilt. This task was undertaken by Archway Motors under warranty. The car then passed through a number of owners before ending up with an unknown owner who crashed CSX 3181. The crash ejected him from the car as the vehicle went into a lake.

Andre Fiejo of Michigan was the vehicles next owner. It then passed to Gregory Lonberger of Lombard, Illinois. Mr. Lonberger was mechanically inclined and performed a restoration on the vehicle bringing it back to its glory days.

In 1989 the vehicle was sold for $425,000 by George Stauffer. It was later resold to David Livingston of Seattle, Washington who displayed it at the SAAC-17 in Portland, Oregon in July of 1992.

At the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, Ca CSX-3181 was offered for sale. It was estimated to sell between $450,000-$550,000. At the conclusion of the sale the vehicle had found another owner, selling for $412,500.

The car returned to the same auction in 2007, this time carrying an estimated value of $725,000 - $825,000. It was sold for nearly that estimate, falling short but non-the-less selling, for a high bid of $682,000 including buyer's premium.By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2011

The Cobra enjoyed a very long production lifespan through its multiple fiddles' it played; it began life as a Tojiero-Bristol, than an A.C. Ace, followed by the Ace Bristol and finally the Ace Ford. Just as it was ending its production life, Carroll Shelby breathed new life with the iconic 289 Cobra. This was soon superseded by the legendary 427 Cobra.

More power was needed to battle the big-block Corvettes and other high-potent racers of the day, so Shelby turned to Ford with their 427 cid V8. It would be placed in the belly of the Cobra, but several significant modifications were needed before the vehicle could be safely operated. The original ladder frame, with its transverse leaf springs, had been designed for an 85-hosrepower engine. The 400 horsepower 427 was more than the setup could handle. Using Ford's computers, a much stiffer chassis with four-wheel independent coil-spring suspension was devised. The updates continued, with the removal of the six-inch wire wheels for much wider Halibrand magnesium wheels. Since the larger wheels would not fit under the standard fenders, the craftsmen at the A.C. factory in England gave the Cobra fender flares. In the front, a large front inlet was shaped to provide air to cool the engine. The result of these aesthetic changes was an aggressive appearance on a small, potent vehicle.

This 427 Cobra with CSX 3162 was completed on August 18th of 1965. It was painted in red and given a black interior. It was sent to Shelby American via the S.S. Risanger.

The cars first owner was Edward Karees in the spring of 1966. It remained in his care for years. In August of 1986 it was sold to Allan D. Weiss. Weiss kept the car for 20 years until 2006 when it was sold to a noted muscle car collector.

This is a very original car that was given a re-paint during the mid-1980s. It retains its original 427 engine with dual four-barrel carburetors. It rides on six-spoke Halibrand alloy wheels, while the original wheels are kept in the current owner's possession.

This car has not been raced, crashed, or abused like so many Cobra's. It has had only three owners since new, with two of those being very long term care.

In 2007 this Cobra was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA where it was estimated to sell for $800,000 - $900,000. Sadly, the lot failed to find an interested buyer willing to satisfy the cars reserve. The car was left unsold.By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008

As wîth many British specialist manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the smooth, refined Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace 2-seater roadster. The engine was a pre-World War II BMW design which was by the 1960s considered remarkably outdated. Bristol, a small independent automobile manufacturer in its own right, decided in 1961 to cease production of its engine and instead to use Chrysler small-block V8 engines. Non-plussed by this idea, AC started using the 2.6 liter Ford Zephyr in all of its cars. An idea was borne out of this concept and in September of that year, former champion racing driver Carroll Shelby approached AC about building a car that would accept a V-8 configuration. Chevrolet was not interested in providing their new 327ci V-8 due to too much direct competition wîth the Corvette, however Ford wanted a car that could compete wîth the radical new Sting Ray from across town. As luck would have it, they happened to have a brand new thin wall small block engine which could be used in this endeavor. The name Cobra came to Shelby 'in a dream', he recounted, and a legend was born.

By 1963 the original AC Bristol-based leaf spring Cobra was losing its supremacy in racing. In desperation, Shelby tried fitting a big Ford FE engine of 390ci. Ken Miles drove and raced the FE powered Mark II car and said that the car was virtually undrivable, naming it 'The Turd'. A new chassis was designed in cooperation wîth Ford in Detroit, then developed by Shelby American and designated the Mark III. A whole new chassis was built which featured 4' main chassis tubes (instead of 3') and a new coil spring suspension all around. Necessitated by the suspension redesign and the wont for a greater contact patch, the car had wide fenders and a larger radiator opening. It was powered by the famed 'side oiler' Ford 427 engine developing 425 bhp and attaining a top speed of 163 mph in the standard model and 485 bhp wîth a top speed of 180 mph in the competition model. The production of the Cobra Mark III began on January 1st 1965, three months after two prototypes had been sent to the Únited States in October of 1964.

CSX 3012 was invoiced to Shelby American on 1/11/65 from AC Cars, Ltd, and a Shelby American Work order #15067 was opened on 2/4/65. It was invoiced on 4/20/65 to Valley Mercedes Benz Service, 14104 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys, CA. as '1 427 Cobra, Chassis No CSX3012' at the cost of $9,700.00. Painted Astral Silver, a color often used in Mercedes racing cars, 3012 was picked up at Shelby American by company owner Lothar Motschenbacher. The racing linage of CSX 3012 featured its debut race at Riverside on May 2nd, 1965, then campaigned at the following weekend at Laguna Seca, three weeks later in Santa Barbara, a month later in Pomona on, and at the Mid-Ohio ÚSRRC event in early August of 1965. Late in 1965, Motschenbacher traded the car back to Shelby American, taking a 1965 Ford Country Squire Wagon and $7,000 in return for the Cobra.

After a thorough clean up, the car was sold on 12/7/65 to J.D. Hurt. He, however, did not choose to take delivery until the following spring, and agreed to allow Shelby American to rent CSX3012 to MGM Studios for use in the Elvis Presley movie Spinout. Records indicate an insurance claim for damage to the car while at MGM and Hurt's deposit was applied to another Cobra. CSX 3012 was once again repurchased by Shelby American and was invoiced on 4/5/66 to Donald Peckman. Peckman rebuilt the car and raced it during the 1966 season, painted white wîth a thin Blue stripe down the center of the car. Raced in Riverside and featured in a Car and Driver editorial, which stated it as being the best-appearing and fastest Cobra at 1966 ARRC. Early in 1967 Charles T. Oseid purchased the Cobra in the name of his company. Sterling Automotive Mfg. Co. Oseid continued to race prior to an unfortunate accident while being transported on a trailer in the early 1970's. Following this incident, the car was dismantled wîth Oseid retaining the salvageable parts and most importantly the ownership MSO document he obtained from Peckman.

In 1985 George Stauffer purchased the MSO and various parts to 3012, and had Brain Angliss of AutoKraft in England rebuild the car utilizing a new chassis and aluminum bodywork. The finished car, painted dark green, was sold prior to its actual completion in the summer of 1988 to George Gillett, then in 1992 it again changed hands to vintage racer Jim Philion. Featured in several prominent vintage events, including the Wine Country Classic held at Sears Point in June of 1995 and driven by Rick Titus, CSX 3012 also won Top Popular at SAAC-20 in 1995. Driven once again that August by Rick Titus at the Monterey Historics, this car received the Thomas W. Senter Memorial Award for representing the most significant Ford or Ford Powered vehicle at the event.

As one of the finest Shelby American automobiles, the ex-Lothar Motschenbacher 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra Full Competition offered here is an absolutely beautiful example is one of only 22 full competition models to leave the factory. Motschenbacher successfully campaigned this car in the '65 ÚSRRC Championships against Ken Miles in the factory 427 and Jim Hall's legendary Chaparrals. A year later, Elvis Presley and CSX 3012 co-starred in the hit movie 'Spinout.' From the fame this added to both Shelby and the music legend, CSX 3012 was to be known as The King's race car for all time. This Cobra includes complete ownership history and thorough documentation. Further, it features a concours-quality restoration and continues to achieve significant awards on both the show-field as well as the track.

This vehicle was offered for sale at the 2008 Russo & Steele Auction held in Monterey, California.

The original Cobra, having begun life as a Tojeiro-Bristol, then as an AC Ace, followed by the Ace Bristol and finally a Ford Ace, had been fitted with an 85 horsepower engine. By the time the Cobra had reached the hands of Shelby and properly matured over several years, it was fitted with a V8 engine that offered over 400 horsepower. This meant the original ladder frame with its transverse leaf springs were not intended to handle this much power, and a solution was required. A new platform was designed that was much stiffer and fitted with four-wheel independent coil-spring suspension. The six-inch wire wheels were replaced with wider Halibrand magnesium wheels. These wider wheels did not fit under the standard fenders so the artisans at the AC factory in England constructed substantial fender flares. The front was restyled with a large inlet to provide sufficient cooling to the large Ford powerplant. Upon completion, the Cobra had evolved into a very aggressive vehicle and it had the performance to back-up its looks.

This car is CSX3287 and was billed to Shelby American on July 8, 1966. It was sold two months later to the Ford dealership in White Plains, New York for the sum of $6,145. It had left the factory in the same color scheme it wears today, a red exterior with black interior.

It was sold on June 16th of 1967 to Bronx resident Jay Kulko. It spent the next 10 years with two owners in George. In 1976 it was bought by Greg Lonberger of Elmhurst, Illinois at which point the odometer read 27,337 miles. In 1978 it was purchased by Mike Forman. in 1986 it was purchased by Cindy Baker of California. She had it painted in the Shelby color of Guardsman Blue. It was sold a short time later to M.D.R. Enterprises of Los Angeles, Ca. It would pass through several more owners throughout the years.

The engine is a 427 CID V-8 with 425 horsepower and a single Holley 4-Barrle carburetor. There are 4-wheel disc brakes and a four-speed manual transmission.

In 2009, it was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Scottsdale, Arizona where it was estimated to sell for $750,000 - $850,000. Bidding failed to satisfy the vehicle's reserve and the lot was left unsold.By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2009

Production of the Cobra Mark III began on January 1 of 1965. The chassis, designed in cooperated with Ford, used 4-inch main chassis tubes and had coil spring suspension all around. The prior chassis had used 3-inch tubes. The new car had wider fenders and a larger radiator opening. Power was from the 'side oiler' Ford 427 engine rated at 485 horsepower and offering a top speed of 180 mph in the competition model.

Cars were sent from England to the United States as unpainted rolling chassis. Shelby American workshop finished the ensemble. In total, 300 Mark III cars were sent to Shelby in Los Angeles during the years 1965 and 1966, including the competition version. Also, 27 small block narrow fender versions, which were known as the AC 289, were sold in Europe. It was raced successfully by many privateers and went on to win races all the way into the 1970's. 31 unsold competition cars were detuned and made road worthy and called S/C for semi-competition. Today, these are the rarest and most valuable models and can sell for in excess of 1.5 million dollars.

The AC 427, also known as the Mark III, carried 18 imperial gallons and its empty weight was approximately 2,300 pounds. This example is one of the rare 427 S/C models.

This Shelby A/C Cobra 427 has not been modified except for the addition of modern tires and wheels, and retains its complete original drive train. It currently rides on a rare set of Goodyear 8.15 x 15 Blue Dot tires mounted on the original Sunburst wheels. The car was repainted in the original Rangoon Red in acrylic lacquer in the winter of 2008 and 2009. It is a three-owner car with no significant crash history. The car was delivered to Hayward Motors of Hayward, CA, and was soon sold to a Brooke Clark. His was a 'driver' which he kept for 30+ years. Selling in 1999, it then had 35,000 miles on the odometer and was tired. The next owner sold it in 2004 to Earl Pfeifer who used only original parts to restore it back to perfection. The current owners bought the car to drive, and have completed around thirty-five, 1,000 mile classic car tours. It was awarded the 427 Cobra by Peter Brock at the SAAC 32 convention in Salt Lake City.

This car, chassis number CSX 3040, is one of 31 427 S/C 'Semi-Competition' specification Cobras completed by Shelby-American Motors of Venice, California. The genesis of the S/C began when Shelby found his Cobras in the same FIA-designated Competition GT class as the racing cars in Ford's own GT40 program. Shelby agreed not to campaign the 427 and, with 19 of the 51 cars already ordered by private teams, it was decided that the remaining 31 cars should be completed and marketed as 'the fastest street cars ever built.'

This car debuted in the United States touring along with a GT40 Carroll Shelby was promoting at the time. Serial number 3021 was purchased from its original owner in 2009. This well documented 3,800 mile Cobra is the first of 29 SC's produced in the mid-Sixties and one of only two painted Hertz Gold.

Weighing just over 2300 pounds and producing close to 500 horsepower, the horsepower to weight ratio, along with suspension and handling improvements from Shelby, had a profound effect on sports car racing and the 'Muscle Car' era in general.

This Cobra, chassis number CSX 3006, is one of the production-competition 427 Cobras developed by Shelby for private racing teams. The car competed in two races in America before it was taken back to Europe. It was sold to the Chequered Flag garage of London in the summer of 1966 where it was converted to right-hand drive and repainted in Wimbledon White with a glossy black hood and cowl. Its biggest success was a win at Brands Hatch driven by co-drivers David Piper and Bob Bondurant. Like the car itself, the Piper-Bondurant racing duo represented the finest racing talent from England and America.

This Shelby Cobra was billed to Shelby American on July 18th of 1966 and later invoiced to Hayward Ford in Hayward, California. It was delivered new in red with black interior with a 428, as all 3200 series cars were. The original owner is believed to have been Mr. Bob Schiro, of Santa Clara, California, who retained the car until 1968. Bruce Canepa acquired the car and kept it for the next several years. During Canepa's ownership, he had a 427 CID engine rebuilt and installed.

By 1988, the car was in the care of Mr. Steve Burnett, of Newport Beach, California. Burnett commissioned a freshening about two years later, then offered for sale with only 17,560 miles showing on the odometer. A German collector became the car's next owner, and it was sent to Germany. It remained with the importer Mr. Hans Weber for two years before it was sold to Hendrik Hoffman in May of 1995. Five months later, Mr. Hoffman had the car on the cover of the automotive publication Motor Klassik. In 2007, Andre Ahrle from Monaco purchased 3293.

During the car's life, it has accumulated 21,000 miles. It has been given a recent cosmetic restoration. Currently, it retains its original bodywork, on the original chassis, and its correct, as-delivered livery of red on black. The 427 engine has a dual quad setup and mated to a four-speed manual transmission.

In 2012, this car was offered for sale at RM Auctions Monterey, California sale. It was estimated to sell for $800,000 - $900,000. As bidding came to a close, the car was sold for the sum of $819,500 inclusive of buyer's premium.By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012

It was written on the Shelby order form, for this 427 Cobra, as 'narrow hip' because of its smaller rear flares. It was trucked from Los Angeles to Jack Loftus Ford in Hinsdale, Illinois who sold it to a local doctor. Under his ownership it came back for some warranty work - a new tachometer is on record among other components. It was sold in the early 1970s locally, and then re-sold, again locally, still in its original blue, to be under the same ownership through at least the 1990s. The car has recently been acquired by its present owners.

This is an S/C spec car (meaning 'spec built comp car') and has been owned by the current owners since June of 1992. It has been restored with paint to replicate Bob Grossman's original comp car (chassis CSX3016). This car was originally unpainted when shipped to Dockery Ford in Morristown, New Jersey, painted gold and raced by Grossman in SCCA events. It was sold in 1969 and soon after it was crashed badly, killing the new owner. As a rebuild it changed colors (to red, then to dark blue) and motors, pushrod to SOHC 427, one more crash (with Cadillac), and once fixed became the 'model' for several magazine features and David Kimble's iconic cutaway drawing.

This Shelby Cobra, chassis number CSX 3359, is the next-to-last 427 Cobra produced. Shelby American billed the car on December 14, 1966. At the time, it was equipped with a 427 V-8 with single 4V carburetor and finished in red with black interior. It was ordered as a road car and sent to Pletcher Ford, of Jenkinton, Pennsylvania at $1,000 off dealer cost, and was trucked to Jenkintown on October 16, 1967. Pletcher Ford repair order no. 2020 records minor storage and shipping damage having been incurred, necessitating repair of the left hand rocker panel, the Cobra emblem on the trunk lid, and replacement of the spare wheel and tire at a cost of $211.95.

The first owner of the Cobra was Frank W. Hultslander, of Norristown, Pennsylvania. It was driven sparingly before being consigned to Hexagon Motors, of London, in November of 1971. Hexagon Motors imported the car and purchased it themselves. It remained in storage from 1972 until 1976. The next owner was Richard Buxbaum, of Hinsdale, Illinois, who kept it for a short time. In 1978, it was advertised for sale with a price of $85,000. At the time, it had just 512 original miles. Jerome A. Shinkay, of Janesville, Wisconsin became the vehicle's next owner. In the early 1980s, it was advertised for sale. It was passed to James S. Ward, of Atherton, California, who resold it to the Ferrari dealer in Los Gatos. From there, it passed through the hands of Timothy Lewy into the ownership of collector John Mozart. In 1998, the Cobra was purchased by Lawrence Bowman.

In 2004, Mr. Bowman had the car restored. The mechanical components were rebuilt to original specifications. The body was left on the chassis, but it was stripped to the bare frame and body shell, metal-finished, primed, and repainted the original Monza Red. Much of the interior remains original. It wears its original 'sunburst' wheels riding on the original Goodyear blue dot tires.

Currently, the car has just 1,819 original miles.By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2014

Chassis number CSX 3015 is very special for so many reasons. It is one of only 23 427 Competition Roadsters built, it was originally built for Carroll Shelby, and one off two Super Snake Cobras constructed. On September 7, 1965, CSX 3015 was shipped and invoiced to Ford Advanced Vehicles, England, as a 427 Cobra Competition roadster. The car returned from Europe in late 1966. Early to mid-1967, CSX 3015 was converted into the Super Snake model and re-classified as 427 Cobra Semi-Competition (SC). Part of the reason for the conversion was the 427 Cobra Competition did not have a muffler, windshield, bumpers, and other items required for the street. Thus, Cobra Competitions were race cars and not street legal. All 427 Cobra SCs had titles and were legal to drive on public roads.

This car, CSX 3015, is one of two Super Snake Cobras built (the other example is CSX 3303 - which was built for Bill Cosby). CSX 3303 began as a 1967 427 street car and was retained by Shelby American as a PR car before being converted into a Super Snake for Cosby. Mr. Cosby drove it once and then returned it to Shelby American. Shelby American sold it to S&C Motors in San Francisco, who then sold it to their customer, Tony Maxey. Sadly, Mr. Maxey drove CSX 3303 off a cliff and into the Pacific Ocean.

CSX 3015 is a full Competition Roadster that retains its original body with its 1967 aluminum 'Super Snake' hood. Currently, it has its original date coded 1965 Competition Girling CR and BR calipers. It has a 427 Competition 377 rear end with its original rear end oil cooler and pumps. Under the hood is the original 1965 date-coded engine, 5M17, December 17, 1965.

In 2015, the car was brought to the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Az. where it was sold for the sum of $5,115,000 including buyer's premium.By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2015

The formula for the success of the Cobra came through a man named Carroll Shelby adapting a powerful Ford engine into a nimble, British sports car.

A.C. Cars of Thames Ditton in Surrey, England had been producing the Ace since 1954. It was designed by John Tojeiro and featured an independent suspension by transverse leaf springs. The tubular frame body of the vehicle took its styling cues from Ferrari. The original engine used in the Ace was a 1991 cc, over-head-cam engine designed by John Weller, the founder of AC, in the 1920s. In 1956, an optional Bristol engine became available. This was a BMW derived, 1971 cc six-cylinder engine that was capable of producing 125 horsepower. With the Bristol engine, the Ace captured many victories on the race tracks around the world. It even won the SCCA Class E championship three years in a row.

In 1959, Bristol ceased its six-cylinder engine production. When Bristol stopped supplying A.C. with the engine, the production of the Ace ceased. Carroll Shelby quickly negotiated a deal where A.C. would supply him with the chassis. Now all Shelby needed was an appropriate engine. In 1961, Ford introduced the 221 cubic-inch small block engine. This was a new lightweight, thin wall-cast, V8 engine that produced 164 horsepower. Shelby approached Ford about the use of the engine for the 2-seat sports car. Ford agrees.

In February of 1962, a 260 HiPo engine and Borg-Warner four-speed manual gearbox was fitted into the aluminum-bodied Cobras. The AC Shelby Ford Cobra was complete.

In April of 1962, the first Cobra with chassis CSX 2000 was painted yellow and shipped to the New York Auto Show where it appeared on the Ford display. The vehicle was an instant success and attracted much attention. Orders came faster than Shelby could build. The prototype CSX 2000 was continuously being repainted for magazine reviews. The purpose was to create an illusion that more Cobras existed.

In 1963 the engine size increased to 289 cubic-inches. Rack-and-pinion steering was added to the vehicle.

Two Cobras were entered into the grueling 24-Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Carroll Shelby himself drove one of the vehicles. Ford had refused to provide an engine so Shelby, with the help of A.C. cars and Ed Hugus, prepare the cars. One of the Cobras managed to capture a seventh place finish, a major accomplishment.

Dan Gurney became the first American driver to win an FIA race in an American car when he won the Bridgehampton 500KM race in September of 1963 while driving a Cobra.

In 1964, the Cobra returned to LeMans where it finished fourth overall and first in the GT class.

Near the end of 1964, the Cobra 427 was unveiled to the press. If featured a new tubular, aluminum body, coil spring chassis, and a 427 cubic-inch, 425 horsepower engine. The car was able to go from zero to 100 mph and back to zero in less than 14 seconds.

In 1967, the last 427 Cobra was built and in 1968, the last 427 Cobra was sold by Carroll Shelby.

Ford had shifted their resources to the new GT40 and modified Mustang programs. In 1966, three GT-40 Mark II's crossed the finish line at Le Mans capturing first, second, and third.By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2010

More than three decades after taping a full-page ad ripped from a 1965 car magazine above his bunk on an Alaskan crab boat, Mark Hovander is touring the country this year with the same Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang pictured on that page.
Hovander and his crosstown friend John Atzbach are big fans of the first-generation Shelby Mustang, and between them they own two of the three original prototypes. As Mustang enthusiasts across the country and around the world celebrate 50 years of their favorite...[Read more...]

• Iconic Shelby FIA Cobra to be CelebratedScottsdale, Ariz. – Jan. 17, 2014 – In 1964, Shelby American, today a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI:PK) introduced the FIA version of the small block Cobra, which competed in the 1964 World Manufacturers Championship series against marques like Aston Martin, Jaguar and Corvette. To celebrate the birth of the 289 Ford powered roadsters, Shelby American will offer 50 limited edition continuation (CSX70...[Read more...]

HILLIARD, Ohio (Nov. 7, 2013) - Thirty-seven race-car drivers and motorsports professionals have been voted into the Road Racing Drivers Club in 2013. The group includes 13 Regular Members from the open-wheel and sports-car racing ranks, 20 Associate Members and four Honorary Members. The current roster of RRDC members now numbers 440. Voting was held among all current RRDC members.
'This year's crop of new Regular Members truly represents the spirit of the RRDC, as each driver has de...[Read more...]

Scottsdale, Arizona – With his AC Ace-derived, Ford-powered Cobra, Carroll Shelby and his racing team spearheaded Ford's 'Total Performance' campaign of the 1960s on the world stage and ended Ferrari's dominance of the World Sportscar Championship for GT cars by 1965. This stellar example, CSX2012, is particularly significant as the first Cobra sold to the public from Shelby American's West Coast operations in Venice, California.
With highly documented and fascinating history including its...[Read more...]